On The Fly Internet Access for Comic Prices

[PovertyRow]

So do any folks use some kind of bluetooth or similar PDA type device to access the internet on the fly, say while at a flea market or in an antique store?

 

If so, what device are you using? What kind of problems (display issues - readability issues - disconnects - expensive etc) have you encountered? Also what positives have you found?

[Aman619]

iphone... duh!

[PovertyRow]

iphone... duh!

 

Thank you aman for your informative post. (thumbs u

 

Anyone else? Maybe with some actual info?

[sckao]

 

I haven't picked up an iPhone or Instinct yet... (My phone contract ends next month so I'll be picking up something in the phone/pda class.)

 

I've used Palm Pilots, Viewsonic Pocket Pcs, etc. and I load text files onto there including prices. (I can view Excel and Word files on the Pocket PC.)

 

Some files I load.

ComicBase exports.

30/35 cent variant lists.

Rare Acclaim/Valiant lists.

Childhood books I look for, etc.

Modern books that are currently hot, etc.

 

The Overstreet PDF is also available to include there and I export ComicBase pricing (not accurate) on occasion which also provides me with any holes in a particular run I'm trying to finish.

 

I anticipate using the wifi access on my new PDA to access Gpanalysis/Valiantfans/Overstreet, etc. though in the near future.

 

 

[DrWatson]

Should be picking up an iPhone next week. I'll let you know, Michael.

[davidpg]

I actually need a wifi\3G for my new job and after doing all kinds of research, I'm sad to say that the iPhone really is the best option at this point.

 

Go play with the iPod touch at your local electronics retailer (it's the same wifi access) and about the same size...works GREAT and everything is html (email, etc all looks like it does on your home computer). It works as well as most laptops.

[ArAich]

This is what I use "on the fly"...

 

 

[catrick339]

If I'm heading out on a junkshop/antique store crawl, I'm always set because I toss last year's O'Street in the car when the new one comes out. Why worry about connecting to anything when you can have the Real Deal at hand? The difference between the '07 and '08 books will be minimal for anything you're likely to stumble across.

[krazy_kenny1]

another vote for iPhone. I'm actually using mine right now. I find myself even using it at home instead of firing up one of my comps. Every website I use looks great, especially in landscape mode.

[SolitaireOne]

If I'm heading out on a junkshop/antique store crawl, I'm always set because I toss last year's O'Street in the car when the new one comes out. The difference between the '07 and '08 books will be minimal for anything you're likely to stumble across.

Ditto! I occasionally use my phone (ie: Pocket PC) in a pinch. Though eBay and CL both look/work well on it the formatiing is way off for the CGC site and here, etc., which makes "on the fly" difficult there.

 

[krazy_kenny1]

If I'm heading out on a junkshop/antique store crawl, I'm always set because I toss last year's O'Street in the car when the new one comes out. The difference between the '07 and '08 books will be minimal for anything you're likely to stumble across.

Ditto! I occasionally use my phone (ie: Pocket PC) in a pinch. Though eBay and CL both look/work well on it the formatiing is way off for the CGC site and here, etc., which makes "on the fly" difficult there.

 

Formatting of the boards and variable-width pages works fine on the iPhone (thumbs u

[40sJohn]

I use an iPAQ PocketPC with windows mobile 5.0 and WiFi. I keep my collection listed with an excel spreadsheet on the PDA. However, with no access to WiFi at times, I connect with blue tooth to my cell phone. Thanks to Verizon it's only a 14.4k connection .

 

One note, Opera has just released a beta version of Opera Mobile 9.50 that is a beaut. It's much faster than IE mobile and does much better job of rendering web sites (IMDB is actually useable now!).

[Transplant]

I used to use Mobile GPAnalysis but I haven't been able to connect lately. Anyone else able to get it since the switch to 2.0?

[General Zod]

I use T-Mobile's Sidekick with the web data plan. Works well for on the fly access, and it's cheap.

[FFB]

I read in some online tech review recently that iPhone's browser beats all other mobile browsers hands down. I was looking online for this info because I have a Palm Treo 755p and the browser is terrible. I have the fastest wireless broadband connection that Verizon has available (EVDO rev A) and it still moves at a crawl. I know it's not the speed of the connection because I use a Verizon EVDO rev A wireless broadband connection on my laptop and it is very fast.

 

I would say that the iPhone's browser blows the Palm Treo's browser away, but that would be an understatement. The difference is like racing a tricycle against a Ferrari.

[Aman619]

iPhone browser is good. Maybe even the best. But there are three speeds: Edge network (slowest) 3G (faster but you still wait for pages to load) and Wifi (the fastest, just like browsing on a laptop.)

 

I love my iPhone, but, truth is we are still in the dark ages speedwise! Like moving from 24 baud to 56 baud modems... plus wifi potential whenever possible. I still have to hit a bookmark and turn my head, do something while it loads a page. Patience is a virtue!

 

Bottom line tho, the entire iPhone experience KILLS all other smartphones. Unless a video camera or flash camera or copy and paste capabilities are your number 1, 2 or 3 needs in a handheld. So, like I say, iPhone is the best.

 

and all the new apps open up a lot of possibilities!